Light Overcomes Darkness

"Anger is a killing thing: it kills the man who angers, for each rage leaves him less than he had been before - it takes something from him."
- Louis L'Amour

The thought of road rage and what that says about many of us came to me one morning while driving to work. I drove up on a line of traffic with people merging in from the right where two lanes became a single lane.

People inched forward not allowing any space for someone to enter the line of traffic. Some of the people in the right lane unaware of being in the wrong lane and were using their blinkers requesting entry into the left line.

Others came speeding up in the right lane, fully aware they were going to pass the long line of traffic. Their intent being interpreted as, "I'm better then you and I'm not going to wait."

There were all sorts of reasons.

Drivers in the left lane were a mixture of attitudes and grace also. Some would open a space for both types of right-lane people. While others maintained a 'zero-space' and 'zero-tolerance' for those in the right lane of traffic.

This went on until a driver in front of me began yelling at one of the right lane drivers with gestures and well thought out verbiage. There had been some sort of affront to him and he was going to let the other driver be aware of it.

In that instance, his inner self was being put on display for all to see.

All of us carry something inside we probably are not proud of; especially when it gets put on display for others to see. But when we keep the "not so proud of" things inside, it is there, kept in darkness and it grows to destroy you. Allowing the darkness inside to rule the day only leads to stress and anger.

We do a very good job of hiding those things within our inner darkness. For some reason, we find those times where it gets released from the darkness. Like when sitting in a car, in traffic, where we somehow believe others can not see us.

If you were standing in line for coffee and a person cut in line, you might say something but chances are the situation is a bit too personal, too upfront. So we tend to be more civil in our discussion with the other person. Yet in a car, all inhibition seems to be removed.

Darkness finds a way to take control over our actions.

We think we are hidden or protected within our space. The vehicle, tucked away in our office or behind closed doors of our home. The problem is many others get to see these glimpses of the inner stuff going on. Inner darkness is revealed and we barely realize it.

I have had issues with impatience and believing my driving is far superior to others. My frustration boiled over nearly 30 years ago and my left temple took the brunt of someones fist. We read stories of this rage spilling over into even greater excess. The outcomes can be disastrous and many times deadly.

What need the ability to destroy the darkness inside by letting the light in. Allow a bit more grace on the roads is a start. But we can also try to relax a more and try to slow down, not be in such a hurry. We all lead hectic and stressful lives.

It might be time to adjust the way we live in order to enjoy it more.

Do not let the darkness win. Relax and enjoy the ride.

Stay inspired my friends!

Many Miles To Go

Are you one of the half-glass full or empty type of people?

For me, I have always tried to be "the glass is not going to be big enough" type of person. Most certainly there have been been moments of pain and doubt, but yet I rebound.

There is so much to experience in this life. And many miles to go before we sleep.

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening - Robert Frost

Whose woods these are I think I know,
His house is in the village, though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a little shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

Stay inspired my friends.

Wondrous Stories

“I believe that what we become depends on what our fathers teach us at odd moments, when they aren't trying to teach us. We are formed by little scraps of wisdom.” ― Umberto Eco

I want to grow as old as my father has and many years beyond it. Today my Dad celebrates another birthday, well into his eighties and with stories to we each have to tell. And many stories I am sure he could tell as well.

All were adventures as I look back now, leading me to where I am today.

A story I wrote about in one of my books titled Changed Lives gives a glimpse into one such adventurous story.

"Take old oak doors for instance, the old heavy ones that you rarely find these days. There can be many uses for these doors if you put your mind to good use. These doors are also quite heavy for a young boy that didn’t have the physique of a football player.

We would find these doors at the old trash dumping location near our hometown. This dump was a ravine, back again during those times before much stricter regulations. That which we could not burn was taken to this dump.

Most times we returned with more then we took. This is the ‘new stuff’ I referred to earlier. My father had a great ‘eye’ for things that could be potentially used on our farm. He could spot an old oak door many yards away. One such day he found one laying about half way down the ravine. All we had to do was climb down, attach a rope and pull it back up.

I was the available son and was instructed to ensure that I tied up to it securely. So down I went, doing as I was told, never wanting to disappoint. All the while I kept wondering if the whole trash pile would give way and slide further down the ravine. God was watching over me I am sure; no scrapes, no bruises and another prized oak door was ours."

My Dad always took care of us, did a great job at it in fact and I am the person I am today because of him. To that I thank him for being Dad. Pretty simple idea but hard to execute on. But he has done it well as one can.

Happy birthday Dad and I look forward to more wondrous stories.



Stay inspired my friends!

Define Normal For Me

“Short is short and Tall is Tall. You are what you are. That is all!” ― Stephen Cosgrove

I was asked once what it was like to live a normal life. The person asking this question had experienced a fair amount of ups and downs in the past. I knew it was a rhetorical question but it did remind me of a quote from Wynonna Judd who said, "My mom always said normal is just a cycle on the washing machine."

Our lives are just that, anything but normal.

If we were to start detailing what a normal life is, most everyone would probably have a hard time coming close to it. I suppose what a normal life is could be defined as 'evening out the highs and lows.'

But like a roller coaster ride, ups and downs will occur.

To me that is what a normal life will consist of; ups and downs and circles and squares. The goal in respect to ups and downs is to create an attitude that will not drag you too low or too high when these things happen.

To ride through the best and worst of times will eventually cause the ride to even out over time. The lows will be easier to deal with and highs will seem som much better. We will get to live life more balanced, more normal in our own kind of way.

Normal is your life and how you react within it.

The roughness of circumstance will ease and if the right attitude grows, your life will lift a notch higher. Expect that life will have ups and downs; everyone else has them. Just know you will carry through and life will get better.

Normal is your normal.

Stay inspired my friends!